
Mysore was a kingdom in southern India that existed from 1399 to 1950, with Mysore and Srirangapatna both serving as capitals. The kingdom was initially a vassal of the Vijayanagara Empire, but it became independent in 1565 as the empire declined. The kingdom would come to conquer large expanses of southern Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu to become a powerful state in the southern Deccan, and it reached its zenith under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan during the latter half of the 18th century. The state fought against its Indian neighbors and also engaged in four wars with Great Britain, winning in the first two wars and losing the last two. In 1799, Tipu Sultan was killed when the British stormed Srirangapatna, and large portions of the kingdom were annexed by the British. Mysore became a princely state, and the state entered India in 1950.